Chapter Thirty-Five
His hand had gotten very warm, which was the only reaction Nick showed to seeing his mother for the first time in a while, but only Sam would know that. He appeared outwardly cool, collected and unaffected.
Hey, that rhymes, she thought, forcing herself to suppress a giggle that would be highly inappropriate under the circumstances.
Collins glanced at Nicoletta and gave her an encouraging smile that had Sam wondering about the true nature of their relationship.
“Thank you for seeing me,” Nicoletta said.
Nick gave a slight nod.
Sam was so proud of him for not making this easy on her.
“I… I asked for this meeting because I wanted the chance to speak to you, to apologize for my past behavior and… Well, I’d like for us to have some sort of relationship.”
All eyes were on Nick, who had no reaction for a full minute.
“What, exactly, are you apologizing for?”
Sam was stunned that Nicoletta seemed genuinely remorseful, but she remained skeptical. A tiger like her didn’t just change her stripes after a few days in lockup.
“I, uh, haven’t been the mother you deserved. I’ve been selfish and self-absorbed, and I’ve disappointed you too many times to count. I deeply regret my actions, and I wish to have the opportunity to do better in the future. I’d like to know you…” She seemed to force herself to include Sam. “Both of you and your children.”
“Why?” Sam asked.
In a flash that lasted less than a second, Sam saw how the woman really felt about her.
Nicoletta quickly caught herself and forced a smile, but not fast enough.
“It doesn’t matter why,” Nick said. “I saw the way you just looked at my wife, even though you tried to hide it. That tells me none of this is genuine. It’s more of your games.”
“It’s not! I swear I mean every word I’ve said. I… I know she hates me.”
Nick frowned. “She has a name.”
“I know that Sam hates me.”
“With good reason,” Nick said. “She’s had a front-row seat to how you’ve treated me. She sat with me when I listened in shock to your TV interview full of lies about me, when you acted like we were the best of friends rather than strangers who’ve never had any relationship. She was there when you showed up uninvited to our wedding, knowing it would upset me to have you there but not caring in the least about me on the biggest day of my life, which was nothing new. Sam truly loves me, so yes, she hates the way you treat me. Can you blame her?”
Sam wanted to stand up and cheer for her man. Since she couldn’t do that, she gave his hand one big squeeze.
Nicoletta looked down at her hands, which were folded on her lap. “No, I don’t blame her. I deserve it.”
“You haven’t said what caused this sudden moment of self-reflection.”
“If I may…” Collins said. “Nicoletta’s recent troubles have resulted in her wanting to make some changes in her life, beginning with fixing her strained relationship with you.”
“And what role have you played in that?” Sam asked.
“I’m a widower with three grown children who are my closest friends. Two of them work for my firm, and the other has given me two precious grandchildren. In the weeks since we first met, Nicoletta has gotten to witness my warm relationships with my children, and they have her longing for the same with you.”
“I don’t believe she has it in her,” Nick said bluntly.
“I… I want to try,” Nicoletta said softly. “I want that so badly.”
“Do you know what I’ve wanted so badly for thirty-eight years? A mother like my friends had. I wanted someone I could count on to be there for me when I needed her, to come to my school events, my hockey games and my graduations, and to act like she gave a shit about me. You’ve never once done that. Rather, you’ve done everything you could to hurt me, including taking money for interviews where you spread your bullshit about me at a time when everyone else who cares about me was rallying around me. So you’ll have to excuse me if I’m not buying this act of contrition. I’m the president of the United States of America, and frankly, Mother, I don’t need your bullshit in my life.”
“I know you’re the president! I’m so proud. I couldn’t be prouder if I tried.”
“But now you’re suddenly interested in a relationship with me?” He shook his head. “You want what you’ve always wanted—attention—and you think if you’re reunited with me, there’ll be happy visits to your grandchildren at the White House and the chance to tell everyone you know that you slept in the Lincoln Bedroom.” He leaned in, looking as fierce as Sam had ever seen him. “Let me be crystal clear with you. That is never going to happen. Do you think I’d subject my precious children to the same treatment I received when you get bored with this new version of yourself and revert to your old ways?”
“That won’t happen,” she said on a soft sob.
“Yes, it will, and when it does, my family won’t be anywhere near it. I appreciate the apology and that you genuinely believe you’ve changed, but I’m not buying what you’re selling. I’m sorry, but this meeting is over.”
He released Sam’s hand to walk to the front door, where he summoned an agent with a single knock. “Our guests are leaving, Eric.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President.”
He returned to Sam and put his arm around her.
“So that’s it?” Nicoletta asked, looking devastated as tears rolled down her face. “Just no?”
“That’s it,” he said. “Just no.”
Nicoletta gave Sam a look that would’ve killed her if looks alone could do the job. “This is because of you. You told him what to say.”
“I didn’t have to tell him anything.”
Collins put an arm around Nicoletta. “Let’s go, Nicoletta. You’ve said what you came to say.”
“But he was supposed to be happy to hear it!”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you.” Nick glanced at Eric, who’d see them out. “You can show them out, Eric.”
Sam held her breath, halfway expecting Nicoletta to do something dramatic that might get her thrown back in jail, but she let Collins help her into her coat and guide her out of the house.
The second the door closed behind them, Sam threw her arms around her husband. “I’ve never been prouder of you—or more turned on by you—than I am right now.”
He laughed and held her tightly. “I gotta say, it felt pretty damned good to give her a taste of her own medicine.”
“You were on fire.”
He took a deep breath and released it. “I’m so glad that’s over and done with.”
“I thought you were going to give her a shot.”
“I was, but you know what changed my mind?”
Sam pulled back to look up at him. “What?”
“The way she looked at you. It was one second of complete disgust, but that was all I needed to know she hasn’t changed one bit if she still thinks you’re the problem.”
“I caught that, too.”
“Anyone who looks at my wife that way can go straight to hell.”
Sam shivered. “So sexy.” She took his hand and led him to the stairs.
“Where’re you taking me?”
“Since you sent her straight to hell, I’m taking you straight to bed.”
“If you insist.”
“I do. I absolutely insist.”
Nick followedher up the stairs, relieved to have the meeting with his mother out of the way. He’d been dreading it for days, fearing how he might collapse like a house of cards in her presence, the way he would have at almost any other point in his life.
But being loved by his Samantha, their children and an extended group of family and friends had given him strength he hadn’t had before he had a family of his own. He didn’t need Nicoletta anymore, and realizing that was so freeing.
As he let Sam tug him along to their bedroom, he was once again so thankful for her and everything she’d brought to his life.
He kicked the door closed behind him. “We’re supposed to be home for dinner.”
She pushed his suit coat off his shoulders. “We will be. It only took you twenty minutes to show her the door. They’d allocated an hour in the schedule, so we’ve got forty free minutes.”
“We can get a lot done in forty minutes.”
“You know it.” She pulled off his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt before going to work on his cuff links.
“Don’t lose them. I have to go home looking presentable.”
“I won’t lose them.”
With her uninjured hand, she tugged at his belt and had him down to his boxer briefs in a matter of seconds. Not bad for one good hand.
“Let me catch up.”
“Hurry.”
He removed her sweater and bra and then her pants while she kicked off the shoe boots that had made her two inches taller than usual. With his arms around her, he brought her in tight against him, her breasts flat against his chest.
As he kissed her neck and made her sigh, he said, “It’s because of you, you know.”
“What is?”
“That I was able to send her packing. I don’t need her anymore because I have you and our kids and our family and so many people who care about me. But it’s mostly because of you, because I know that no matter what, I’ll always have you and this.”
“Yes, you will, and we love you more than anything in this world.”
“I’d never had that before you. I mean, Graham and Laine… They were the best, and they did what they could to fill the void, but they weren’t really mine. They were on loan to me through John.”
“They love you.”
“And I love them, but it’s different having my own people. I didn’t know that until I had you, my very own person to love who loved me right back. That’s what made all the difference.”
“You’ve shown me how much is possible, things I never dreamed for myself.”
“Same, babe.” He guided her onto the bed and came down on top of her, gazing into her gorgeous blue eyes. “I believe I promised you a reward for sitting through that encounter.”
“Yes, you did.”
After placing her arms over her head, he set out to kiss every inch of soft skin he could reach, which drove her wild.
He liked her this way, uninhibited, untroubled—for the moment, anyway—with her attention undivided and focused exclusively on him. How lucky was he to have a woman like her love him the way she did?
The luckiest, and he set out to show her that with his lips, tongue and teeth, until she was all but begging him to give her more.
Not until she’d given him what he wanted, which was at least one orgasm.
He propped her right leg on his shoulder and gave her his tongue and fingers, the combination always working quickly to take her right over the edge.
This time was no different.
She gasped and thrashed and let loose with whispered words of love that went straight to his heart.
“Nick… Please.”
He was happy to give her anything she wanted, pushing into her in one deep thrust that had her biting her lip to keep from screaming. They were always aware of their agents nearby, which was a drag at times like this.
Her fingers dug into his back as her legs encircled his waist.
This was the best thing in life. She and their kids were the best thing in his life.
She looked up at him with big blue eyes. “You took over my seduction.”
“I’m seduced the minute you walk into the room.”
“So easy.”
He smiled as he kissed her. “Where you’re concerned.”
“I like you that way.”
“I like you all the ways.”
“Nice how that works out, huh?”
“Mmmm, so nice. Don’t stop.”
“I won’t. Don’t worry.”
Nicoletta was devastated and infuriated.If only that bitch hadn’t been there, she might’ve had a chance at persuading her son to give her another chance.
She hated that woman’s guts and couldn’t imagine what her gorgeous son saw in her.
Her heart ached over how close she’d come to having him back in her life.
Collins kept an arm around her in the car on the way back to the Four Seasons, where he’d booked an opulent suite for their stay in DC.
She’d held out a secret hope that they might relocate to the White House after the meeting, but that’s not what’d happened.
And it was all her fault.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that. My daughter-in-law has it in for me.”
“She only asked a one-word question, so I didn’t notice her having it in for you.”
“You don’t know her like I do.”
His deep sigh sent a shiver of fear down her spine. What if he was so disgusted by what he’d just seen that he cut ties with her? What would she do then? Other than one last small nest egg stashed in the Caymans, she had no resources left and no way to make a living after her recent incarceration.
Over the last couple of weeks, she’d begun to rely on Collins to fix things for her. Would he still be willing to do that after witnessing such ugliness with her son and his wife? It’d been a mistake to let him come with her. She knew that now.
Her son had changed. In the past, he would’ve lapped up whatever attention she tossed his way, but the power had clearly gone to his head if he thought he could talk to his mother the way he had. Who did he think he was, anyway?
Back at the hotel, they walked to the elevators in silence that further unnerved her. What was Collins thinking? Was he done with her now that she’d failed to ingratiate herself with her son, the president? Since he’d taken such an intense interest in her, she’d wondered if it was really about access to power. Without that, would he still care about what happened to her?
She didn’t know, which made her feel panicky.
Inside their deluxe rooms, he removed his suit coat and tie and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. He was the most devastatingly handsome man she’d ever met and held the distinction of being the only man she’d ever truly been attracted to.
So far, he’d been a perfect gentleman with her, going so far as to book a suite with two bedrooms. Nicoletta wished he would stop being so polite.
He poured drinks and brought them to the sofa where she’d settled.
“Thank you,” she said, taking the wine glass from him. “What’re you thinking?”
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out as you’d hoped.”
Nicoletta gave a harsh chuckle. “I never stood a chance with that woman in the room.”
“It wasn’t her fault, Nicoletta.”
“She’s poisoned him against me.”
“No, my dear, you did that all on your own.”
She stared at him with shock and distress. “I thought you were on my side.”
“I was. I mean, I am. But I need you to understand that what just happened with your son and his wife was because of you, not her or him or anyone else but you.”
Nicoletta looked away from him, feeling ashamed, furious and scared. What would she do if he walked away from her, too? “Fine. It’s all my fault. Is that what you want to hear?”
“It’s a good start toward making real changes.”
“I have made real changes.”
“Not yet, but you still can if you really want to.”
“I do! I told you that.”
“And I want to believe you, but at the first word out of your daughter-in-law’s mouth, you reverted to your old ways and ruined your chances with your son.”
“I didn’t mean to do that. She gets to me.”
“Because she sees you for what you really are, which is why you resent her.”
“Wow, so now you’re taking her side?” Why did she even care what he thought, anyway? She hadn’t known him a month ago.
“I’m on your side. I want you to get what you want, to have a relationship with your son and grandchildren, but there’s no way that’s happening without her involvement. I thought you understood that.”
“I do!”
“It didn’t seem that way to me—or them.”
“So what are you saying?”
“If you want to make this work, if you really want it, you have to fix things with her before you’ll ever get a chance to fix things with him.”
“And then pigs flew in hell.”
“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
“What is in this for you? Why are you pushing me so hard on this?”
“Because you told me you want your son in your life. I’m telling you how to make that happen.”
“She hates my guts. She’ll never have anything to do with me.”
“All you can do is try, Nicoletta. Show her you mean it when you say you want to be different. If you can win her over, you’ll have him back in your life. And his children.”
She didn’t have the strength to argue, so she told him what he seemed to want to hear. “You’re right. Thank you for coming and for everything you did to support me.”
“I was happy to do that.”
“I understand if you’ve seen enough at this point.”
“Seen enough of what?”
“Who I really am, what my life has been like.”
“Did you think that would make me not want to be with you?”
“Yeah, kind of. I mean, it’s not a very pretty picture.”
He gazed at her longingly before tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I’ve seen you—the good, the bad, the ugly—and for some reason, I still want you in my life, in my bed, in my heart.”
Oh Lord, the man was going to make her swoon!
“Why?”
“God only knows, my darling, but I can’t help but want you with every fiber of my being.”
Nicoletta leaned in, drawn to him like she’d never been to anyone, ever.
He met her halfway, his lips connecting with hers, sending a shock through her system. “Is there any chance you might want me, too?”
“Yes, I want you.” Despite the insane attraction, she still feared his motives. “But I need to know something, and you have to tell me the truth.”
“Of course.”
“Are you with me because my son is the president?”
His expression reflected pure shock. “No, Nicoletta. That’s not why I’m with you.”
“I’m afraid it doesn’t make any sense to me after what you just witnessed, that you’d still want me…”
“I can’t help but want you. From the first second I laid eyes on you, I knew you were going to change everything for me.”
“I was in an orange jumpsuit with no makeup.”
“Orange never looked so good to me.”
“You’re crazy,” she said, laughing.
“About you.” He linked their fingers. “I know today was terribly disappointing for you, but I hope you know you have me and my family and the chance for a whole new life, if that’s what you want.”
“It is, but only because that new life would be with you.”
“Perhaps if your son and his wife see you living your best life, they might one day want to be part of it.”
“Perhaps.”
He stood and gave her hand a gentle tug to bring her to her feet. “What do you say we get busy living that best life?”
“Right now?” she asked with a coy smile.
“Right this very second.”